Plow bottom



Oct. 15, 1940.

B. R. BENJAMIN PLOW BOTTOM Filed May 25, 1959 N DH/ mm VB. M

g NN Patented Oct. 15, 1940 UNITED STATES PLOW BOTTOM Bert R. Benjamin,Oak Park, 111., assignor to International Harvester Company, acorporation of New Jersey Application May 25, 1939, Serial No. 275,630

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a plow bottom and more particularly to a plowbottom adapted to be used in plowing at a higher rate of speed than thatat which plowing is ordinarily done.

In general, the fundamental difierence between an ordinary plow bottomand a so-called highspeed bottom is in the curvature of the moldboard.In ordinary plows,the mold-board curvature is formed about acomparatively short radius, and the soil cut out by the plow in formingthe furrow is adequately turned at the side of the furrow by themold-board. If such a bottom were used in plowing at higher speeds, thecurvature of the mold-board is such that the soil would be throwntransversely across the field into adiacentfurrows and the draft on theplow would be materially increased. In a plow of the highspeed type, themold-board curvature is altered by increasing the length of the radiusabout which said curvature is formed. This. provision gives themold-board a comparatively longer extent furrow-wise and the mold-boardadequately turns the soil to the side of the furrow. If, however, thehigh speed bottom is operated at slower speeds, as is often necessitatedby varying soil conditions, the mold-board curvature is inadequate toturn the soil properly. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a plowbottom which-may be used advantageously in either high-speed orlow-speed plowing.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedplow bottom having a mold-board partwhich is adapted to accommodateitself to varying speed ranges of'plowing and which further adaptsitself to varying soil conditions. Y v

An'important object is to provide the improved plow'bottom generally inthe form of an ordinary plow, but having a rearward mold-board partresiliently mounted with respect to the other parts of the bottom, sothat said mold-board part may yield transversely of the furrow when theplow is operated at higher speeds.

Another important object is to provide such mold-board part as aplurality of individually and resiliently mounted slats.

These and other important objects are achieved in one preferred form ofthe invention by the provision of a plow bottom comprising a forwardshare part carrying rigidly thereon a rearwardly and upwardly extendingsupporting portion in the form of a forward mold-board part. A rear--ward mold-board part is resiliently associated with the forwardmold-board part and extends rearwardly and forms a continuation thereof.In

a preferable construction the movable moldboard part is in the form of aplurality of individually mounted slats associated resiliently withindividual resilient means in the form of leaf-springs. As an addedfeature of the invention, a second resilient means is associatedrespectively with each leaf-spring for the purpose of adjusting thepressure imparted to the individual slats. The leaf-springs normallyhold the rearward mold-board part in a position generally simulating themold-board part of an ordinary plow used generally for slower plowing.When the speed of the plow is increased, the out out soil is morerapidly displaced rearwardly and v the rearward mold-boardpart isenabled by the iresilient means to yield to this pressure, thussimulating the mold-board of a so-called high speed bottom.

The important objects and features of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from an examination of the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying sheet of drawing, in'Which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the improved plow bottom asviewed from the land side thereof;

Figure 2 is a sectional viewthrough the rearward mold-board part showingitsrelation to the resilient means and the forward mold-board part; and,30

Figure 3 is anenlarged sectional view showing the manner of mounting themold-board part andleaf-spring on the forward mold-board part,illustrating also the relation thereto of the additional adjustableresilient means.

The plow bottom chosen for the purposes of illustration comprisesgenerally a land-side I!) joined adjacent its forward end to a forwardshare part II, which terminates in a forward I point [2. The share IIhas, integrally formed 4 therewith or otherwise'rigidly secured theretoa.

rearwardly and upwardly extending supporting portion I3, which servesgenerally to constitute a forward mold-board part. The portion l3includes an inclined, upstanding rear edge M, at 45 which a rearwardmold-board part I5 is mounted. This latter mold-board part is movablycarried by the forward mold-board part for movement. transversely of thefurrow, as generally indicated in Figure 2, and preferably comprises aplurality of individually mounted slats l6, which as a whole generallysimulate the rearward moldboard part of an ordinary plow bottom.

Each slat I6 is movably mounted on the forward mold-board part I3generally along its rearward 55.

edge IE. The means for mounting each slat comprises a bolt I! whichpasses through the forward mold-board part I3, through a leaf-spring I8and through an integral portion I9 of a slat I6. This portion I9 isoffset with respect to the general extent of the slat, so that the outersurface of the slat is substantially coincident with the outer surfaceof the mold-board part I3, thus generally forming a yieldingcontinuation thereof. Each leaf-spring I8 is substantially equal inlength'to its related slat and is associated at its rearward end withthe rearward end of the slat through the medium of a bolt 20 passingthrough an opening in the slat and through a longitudinally extendingslot 2| in the leafspring. The forward end of the spring I8 is, asaforesaid, associated with the bolt II, which comprises part of asecuring means which includes, as an additional part thereof, a secondresilient means in the form of a coil spring 22. The portion I9 of theslat I6 is formed with an enlarged bore 23 within which is fitted a plugmember 24 engaged by the spring 22. The securing means is adjustably andresiliently maintained in position by a nut 25 threaded on the end ofthe bolt II. The plug 2 abuts against the inner face of the spring I8and is formed with an annular flange which is spaced inwardly from theinner face of the integral slat portion I9. By this means the spring 22is enabled to act directly and separately on the leaf-spring I8 at itsforward end.

The general association between the leaf-spring I8 and the slat I6 isindicated in Figures 2 and 3, whereat it is shown that an extremeforward portion of the spring abuts the land-side or inner face of themold-board part I3, the spring curving slightly rearwardly in spacedrelation to the slat and contacting same at its rearward end. In apreferred construction there is little, if any, initial pressure in theleaf-springs I8, and the pressure of the coil springs 22 may be adjustedas desired. In this manner the resilient pressiue urged against theslats I6 is mainly through the coil springs 22 and the first yieldingmovement of the slats, when the bottom is operated at higher speeds, isopposed by the springs 22. The manner of mounting the slats I6 on thebolts I'I provides sufficient movement therebetween to allow freeyielding movement of the slats. Continued transverse movement of theslats caused by pressure of the soil, because of its more rapiddisplacement by the share II, is opposed by the leaf-springs I8. It isthus possible to adjust the yieldability of the slats through the mediumof adjusting the nut 25 to increase or decrease the compression on thecoil spring 22. It will be understood, of course, that the slats may bemounted on the mold-board part I3 and associated therewith for yieldingmovement through the medium of either the leaf-springs or coil springs.In a preferred construction, both resilient means are utilized.

As previously mentioned, each slat I6 is formed with a transverselyoffset portion I9. As best shown in Figure 3, a portion of the slat isthus adapted to engage the rearward edge I4 of the mold-board part I3and thus the movement of each slat is limited in one direction by theabutment of a portion of the slat against the edge I4. The leaf-springsI8 are preferably formed of lengths substantially equal to therespective slats with which they are associated in order that the slatsmay be adequately supported, even though they have become worn bycontinued use. It will be appreciated that considerable wear in theslats decreases the thicknesses thereof and would, except for theequally long springs I8, have some yielding movement in and ofthemselves. This movement is found generally undesirable in that it isin nowise controlled.

In the operation of the improved plow bottom at lower plowing speeds,the function thereof is substantially that of an ordinary plow bottom.When the plow speed is increased, the soil cut out by the share is morerapidly displaced rearwardly, at which time the yieldable, rearwardmold-board part I5 yields transversely of the furrow to accommodate theincreased pressure thereon. It is well known that plow bottoms may beoperated at a higher speed in some soil than in other soil, and it isalso well known that such soil conditions may be present in the samefield. In this respect, the improved plow bottom may be operated atvarying speeds according to its adaptability to handle the soil throughwhich it is forming furrows.

The improved plow bottom structure presented in the foregoingdescription and in the accompanying sheet of drawings is a preferredform of the invention, and it will be understood that numerousmodifications and alterations may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A plow bottom comprising a forward share part having a rearwardupstanding supporting portion having a landside face, a rearwardmold-board part movably carried by said portion at its landside face andextending rearwardly therefrom and simulating a continuation thereof,being mounted for movement substantially transversely of the bottom, aleaf-spring disposed at the landside face of the supporting portion andassociated therewith and with the mold-board part, and securing meanssecuring both the mold-board part and the leaf-spring to the supportingpart, said means including an adjustable resilient member separatelyengaging the leaf-spring.

BERT R. BENJAMIN.

